Rolf Schnabel

A life story from a bygone era. In a retirement home, the 90-year-old Hermann Reußner tells his story. He was born in 1891 in Dessau, back when a duke still reigned there. As a soldier under the German emperor, he participated in World War I. Reußner talks about his beginnings as a cook in the famous hotel Adlon at the Pariser Platz in Berlin. Later, he was head chef there for 30 years. This private life story gets impressively illustrated with photos and film footage.

Sigmund Jähn, (East) Germany's first man in space, and the preparations for the space flight are portrayed.

This documentary, intended to inspire new home filmmakers, tells the stories of ordinary people who learned how to make their own films by renting inexpensive AK 8 cameras. A young couple documents their vacation on the Baltic Sea, a garden plot community celebrates a party, and comrades from a sports club even film themselves playing cards underwater. The film's sarcastically humerous commentary on everyday life plays with clichés and taboos.

East German documentary about the 20 July plot.

Documentary reports on everyday life in a big city, focusing on the window cleaners of Berlin. The narrator loosens up the shots of the window cleaners with amusing word capers, and the lively music complements the intercut scenes. The camera accompanies the glass cleaners on workshop windows, small and large shop windows, glass-clad house facades, balconies, office buildings and on the roofs of high-rise buildings. The viewer experiences everyday life in various professional areas and recognizes the little idiosyncrasies of the people portrayed.

A biographical documentary about Ernst Thälmann.

Found Footage film made up from historical films produced at DEFA.